1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a simplified method and apparatus for adjusting horizontal, vertical, and combined horizontal and vertical angular positions of tubes, more particularly burner nozzles, having an open, spherically faced end mounted in a mating spherically faced mounting plate. Such adjusting requires only one vertical and/or horizontal adjustment to maintain a tightly sealed joint between the spherically faced mounting end and the mating spherically faced mounting plate thereby eliminating other vertical and/or horizontal adjustments of the bracket to maintain a tightly sealed joint.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Burner nozzles, used to inject fuel/air or other oxidizer mixtures into large industrial furnaces, such as glass melting furnaces, generally require some type of mounting bracket. Some mounting brackets used for these purposes have rigid construction with no practical means for position adjustment. Other mounting brackets have limited position adjustment capabilities. Combustion Tec, Inc., Orlando, Fla., Bulletin Nos. 09ST-49, 09A-45, 09P-42 and 09A-51, and the publication by Hotwork Inc., Hillside, N.J., entitled "Underport Firing Systems for Glass Furnaces", describe various types of mounting brackets for burner nozzles. Other mounting brackets for burner nozzles are quickly field designed and crudely installed by furnace users.
A poor seal between a burner nozzle and furnace wall can significantly reduce furnace efficiency. Inspirating air, cold air entering the furnace around the burner nozzle, may reduce furnace efficiency by up to about 5 percent. Poor seals which cause inspirating air around the burner nozzle often occur as a result of the mechanical procedure used to re-aim a burner nozzle. Many burner nozzles have a spherically faced or "ball" end that mates with a spherically grooved or "socket" mounting plate. The ball-and-socket arrangement forms a seal. Re-aiming burner nozzles equipped with ball-and-socket seals causes a change in the vertical, horizontal, both vertical and horizontal, or vertical and horizontal angular position of tubes or burner nozzles. Such re-aiming often requires at least two movements in existing mounting brackets. While the above problems have been described specifically with respect to burners and furnaces, the same situations are existent with any reactant introduction into any reactor system.
Existing mounting brackets accomplish vertical angular adjustments through the use of an adjustable arc mechanism such as those shown in Combustion Tec, Inc., Orlando, Fla., Bulletin Nos. 09ST-49 and 09P-42. However, a horizontal position adjustment of the same mounting bracket requires movement of the entire mounting bracket assembly. Re-aiming by adjusting the entire mounting bracket assembly causes a break in the seal between the burner nozzle and furnace wall and normally interrupts continuous burner service. Re-aiming or re-positioning a mounting bracket assembly according to this invention causes no break in the seal between the burner nozzle and furnace wall and thus does not interrupt continuous burner service.